Trouser with expansible waist and hidden waistband opening

ABSTRACT

A trouser is provided with an extensible waistband wherein a rearward waistband portion has an open side seam into which is disposed a slidable tail end of a forward waistband portion. This forward waistband is stitched to an inner elastic member which is stitched, in turn, to the rearward waistband portion proximate said open side seam. The waistband is expansible by way of the elastic stretch in the inner elastic member, but the tail end of the forward portion slides within the open seam and an open portion of the rearward waistband. There is no bulky material at the open seam and the relative movement of the forward waistband is not visually significant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/075,373, filed Jun. 25, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to trousers and more particularly to the construction of trousers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Trouser waists are typically set at specific sizes with little give. While several attempts have been made to provide trousers with adjustable or expandable waistbands, there remains room for improvement.

Accordingly, it is an objective of the invention to provide a trouser with an improved, comfortable expansive waistband and without unnecessary bulk in the waist area.

Another objective has been to provide an expandable trouser waistband, the features of which are not aesthetically visible to others when worn.

A further objective has been to provide a trouser with an expandable waistband and front pocket, the opening and size of which accommodates and is not adversely affected by the expansion or contraction of the waistband.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To these ends, a trouser is provided with an extensible, elastic waistband wherein a rearward waistband portion has an open side seam into which is disposed a slidable tail end of a forward waistband portion. This forward waistband is stitched to an inner elastic member which is stitched, in turn, to the rearward waistband portion proximate said open side seam. The waistband is expansible by way of the elastic stretch in the inner elastic member, but the tail end of the forward portion slides within the open seam and an open portion of the rearward waistband. There is no bulky material at the open seam and the relative movement of the forward waistband is not visually significant.

Preferably, a belt loop is positioned outward of the open side seam, covering it and visually masking any relative movement between components of the rearward and forward waistband portions.

The upper rear end of an inner front pocket panel, disposed proximate the forward waistband portion is stitched to the rear waistband portion. The forward upper portion of the inner pocket panel is partially pleated and partially stitched to the forward expansible waistband portion. The pleated portion has an elastic tab, urging it closed when the upper portion of the pocket is expanded as the waistband reacts to stretching forces.

The front part curtain and the upper portion of the pocket is stitched to and expands forward with the expansible waistband.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become even more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred and alternative embodiments and from the drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention from the outside of the trouser; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic elevation view of the invention from the inside of the trouser with a portion of the elastic removed for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the features surrounding the right hand forward pocket of a pair of trousers in accordance with one embodiment the invention. The forward pocket may be a quarter or other appropriate form or shape front pocket. The waistband 1 of the trousers includes a forward waistband portion 10 and a rear waistband portion 20 as shown. The forward waistband portion 10 runs from the front of the trousers (not shown) back into the open seam 22 of the rear portion 20, where it is concealed within the rear portion 20. In the embodiment shown, a belt loop 4 is strategically positioned to cover the open seam 22 such that the open seam 22 is not visible. When necessary, expansion of the waistband 1 occurs by the relative movement of the forward portion 10 away from the rear portion 20, this relative motion resulting in more of the forward portion 10 being outside of the rear portion 20 and independently forming part of the trouser waistband 1. The belt loop 4 shields the most obvious location of this expansion, the open seam 22, from view.

FIG. 2 shows the same region of the trouser surrounding the right hand forward pocket 30 in the same embodiment of the invention as FIG. 1, but as seen from the inside of the trouser. Here, the elastic member 12 that follows along the forward waistband portion 10 is shown. In one embodiment, the elastic member 12 is stitched lengthwise along its top and bottom edges to the forward portion 10 for most of the waistband 1, but is disconnected from the forward portion 10 in a region 14 to the front of the open seam 22. This allows the elastic member 12 to stretch in response to expansion of the waistband 1. The elastic member 12 terminates at the open seam 22, where it is stitched widthwise to the front end of the rear waistband portion 20.

The right hand forward pocket 30 is modified in order to accommodate the expanding action of the waistband 1. It is typical for a front trouser pocket to include stitching all the way along the top of the pocket which attaches the pocket to the waistband. However, the forward pocket 30 of the present invention may instead include stitching 32 a, 32 b along the top of the pocket 30 and along the waistband 1, but may also include a region 33 between the stitching where the top of the pocket 30 is not stitched to the waistband 1. In one embodiment, the unstitched region 33 may be substantially in the same lengthwise location as the region 14 where the elastic member 12 is disconnected from the forward portion 10, both regions 14, 33, serving substantially the same purpose of accommodating the expansion of the waistband 1 when necessary.

In another embodiment, the unstitched region 33 may extend to the front or rear of the top of the pocket, such that one or both of the stitching lines 32 a, 32 b are absent.

The pocket 30 may also include a substantial pleat 34 that is within the unstitched region 33, the pleat 34 providing the extra material to allow the pocket to accommodate expansion. In order to keep the pleat 34 closed and the pocket 30 of the appropriate size, an elastic tab 36 may be stitched to the elastic member 12 or the waistband portion 10 and to the top of the pocket 30. The location of the elastic tab 36 may vary, and the tab 36 may be oriented diagonally as shown in FIG. 2 or may be oriented substantially horizontally or substantially vertically (not shown) in order to better maintain the pleat 34. Alternatively, the unstitched region 33 may instead include elastic in or along its length in order to maintain its appropriate closure, or may maintain a pleat 34 without external aid.

When the waistband 1 expands along the expansion arrows E, the pleat 34 unfolds some amount along the unstitched region 33, which also stretches the elastic tab 36 and slightly increases the length of the top of the pocket 30 to accommodate for the increased distance between the stitched front and back regions 32 a, 32 b of the top of the pocket 30. The elastic member 12 also stretches along its unstitched region 14 while the forward portion 10 moves away from the rear portion 20 and emerges partially from the open seam 22.

In one embodiment, the forward portion 10 of the waistband may be additionally biased by an additional elastic member (not shown) contained entirely within the rear portion 20 of the waistband and stitched to the end of the front portion 10 and a more rearward point within the rear portion 20.

Trouser materials may very as known to one skilled in the art. For example, the elastic member may comprise a combination of rubber and polyester, such as the TRU-GRIP elastic band available from the Fechheimer Brothers Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the trouser fabric may be a twill weave of a polyester-cotton blend. However, a wide variety of materials and styles can use the expansible waistband as disclosed without departing from the present invention. One of ordinary skill will know how to vary the construction of the trousers according to the fabrics and materials chosen and in accordance with the invention.

These and other modifications and advantages will be readily appreciated without departing from the scope of the invention. Applicant intends to be bound only by claims appended hereto. 

1. A trouser having an expansible waist and comprising: a rearward waistband defining an open end at a seam; a front expansible waistband having a tail portion at least partially disposed in said rear waistband through said open end; and an elastic member having a rear portion secured to said rear waistband and a forward portion secured to said front expansible waistband; wherein said forward expansible waistband is extensible away from said rear waistband.
 2. A trouser as in claim 1 further including a belt loop disposed over said open end proximate said seam.
 3. A trouser as in claim 1 including a pocket having an inner panel, a portion of which is secured to said rear waistband and another portion to said front expansible waistband.
 4. A trouser as in claim 3 wherein said panel further includes a pleated portion between said secured portions and an elastic tab for closing said pleated portion.
 5. A trouser as in claim 3 wherein the pocket is a quarter pocket. 